1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to the luminaire art and more particularly to a sign lighting method and arrangement and a luminaire utilized in this method and arrangement.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a great number of sign lighting arrangements in operation today, especially along our highways where signs setting forth information to the traveler require a high degree of visibility. Typically, luminaires utilized in lighting up these signs are positioned in front of the sign near the sign's top edge or bottom edge and centrally between its side edges. This type of arrangement creates two problems to which the present invention is directed and overcomes in a unique manner, as will be seen hereinafter.
One such problem results from an attempt by previous conventional arrangements to illuminate the entire bottom edge (or top edge) of the sign. More specifically, to illuminate, for example, the sign's entire bottom edge (when the luminaire is positioned near the bottom edge) it has heretofore been necessary to allow some light to pass under the sign. This, of course, results in an inefficient utilization of light, but also can create a situation of possibly blinding drivers coming towards the back of the sign. An obvious but unsatisfactory solution to this problem has been to forego illuminating the entire bottom edge, or the entire top edge of the sign when the luminaire is positioned near the top of the sign.
A second problem which is created by locating the luminaire centrally in front of and near either the bottom or top edge of the sign resides in the inability of conventional luminaires to efficiently illuminate the entire side edge portions of the sign. More specifically, with the sign and a conventional luminaire so located, the luminaire will effectively light up only portions of the sign's lateral edges, or alternatively to light the entire edges, much of the light will pass beyond the sides of the sign. Neither of these alternatives is completely satisfactory for the reasons stated above but results from the geometry in locating the sign and luminaire in the manner set forth. Conventional luminaires, as designed, do not take into account this geometry. In fact, the prior art has not recognized its significance but rather has been satisfied with the above-stated alternatives.